What's A Hogwart?
by Jade24
Summary: During third book, Ginny gets a American pen pal. Not really by Jade, just her brother. OCs


What's a hogwart?  
  
This is not really Jade, its her brother. We just have to share an account because of the email system.  
  
I do not own Harry, Ginny, the Weasleys, Hogwarts or anything that J.K. Rowling ever came up with.  
  
"Sit down, sit down. I have an announcement," said Dr. Broomfleet. The class sat down and got quieter, but at least ten different conversations were going on in hushed tones hidden from the teacher by skilled students with years of practice. "Today we will not be continuing the lesson on the switching spell." Some of the students cheered, who could blame them after the nose and thumb fiasco last class. A few were disappointed. After all this was Transfiguration class they were supposed to learn how to change things. Three were angry, after their success with causing the thumb problem they had planned to do something with feet and ears.  
  
Dr. Broomfleet continued, "Instead we are going to start a new project. This will not be collected for a grade, I will just see if you did it. As you know the principal is always interested in trying new things." The students laughed nervously. Last year she had tried to get them to remember their lessons by holding a game show like activity. When you got the question wrong, you had to run through an obstacle course. Some still had the scars. "And she has decided to be part of a program to help improve international wizard relations. You and your classmates will be writing to a group of student of your age at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."  
  
"What's a hogwart?" asked a sandy hair boy in the front row. Dr. Broomfleet ignored him and called on a girl that had raised her hand.  
  
"What is Hogwarts?"  
  
"Hogwarts is school like this one that is in the United Kingdom." A few of the dumber ones in the class raised their hands. In anticipation of the question she added, "Some of you would know it, incorrectly, as England." Many students leaned forward in their seats, interested in the project. The boy with sandy hair was apparently disappointed with it and made it known.  
  
"You mean we have to write to a kid from the British Isles. We'll get letters saying, 'That's smashing governor,' or 'Marvelous, lets have tea some time.' I thought we fought two wars just to make sure we wouldn't have to deal with them." Several of the smarter kids who got the joke snickered, the dumber ones just laughed with them.  
  
Dr. Broomfleet gave him a look of annoyance. "The United States did not fight wars so we would not have to deal with them. We fought the wars so the United States would not be answerable to them. But this is not a history class. Mister Galahad, the next time you feel the need to make fun of my home country, please keep it to yourself. As for the students at Hogwarts, I was once one of them, and I am sure that the present students are just as rule abiding, honest, studious, and polite as my schoolmates and I were." More than one student rolled their eyes.  
  
"Now, you will have the rest of the class to write your letter. I will be handing out slips of paper with your pen pals name on it. Remember that they are the same age as you. You will turn in the letter at the end of class. I will mail them to the teacher responsible at Hogwarts. You will receive your reply on Monday. You will have to write two more letters and I will check if you have done so. If you choose to continue writing you may. I will collect the letters and distribute them. Any questions?" Dr. Broomfleet ignored the hand that was raised by the boy with sandy hair, knowing no good could come of letting him talk. He proceeded to hand out the slips.  
  
Uther Galahad, known as Lance to his friends, stared at his piece of paper. Why did he have to get a girl? With a boy he could at least ask if any of the girls at Hogwarts were cute. He began to write.  
  
Dear Virginia Weasley,  
  
Hi. My name is Uther Galahad, but call me Lance. God I hate starting these things. I never know how to start a conversation, not even in person. Do you just walk up to a person and ask them if they have webbed feet or something. No, I do not have webbed feet. I guess I should just do the letter formula.  
  
I am 12 years old and live in a city called Gaithersburg in Maryland. Both my parents are wizards. My dad runs a bookstore on J street in Washington DC. My mom works for the Office of Misinformation for the Ministry of Magic in Washington. I have a sister who is three years older. I am in my second year at Avalon Academy of the Magical Arts and Sciences. We call it Avalon or the double A. It is on an island in the Chesapeake Bay off the coast of Virginia. Isn't that funny, you're name is Virginia and the island is off the coast of Virginia. On second thought it isn't that funny. Please ignore that joke, I can't find my eraser and I don't want to start over again.  
  
They play Quidditch in the UK, right. Quodpot is popular over here. Don't like it myself. No matter what you do you get hurt, either the other players get you or the ball blows in your face. I play Quidditch. I'm the Keeper on the school's junior varsity team. It is nothing special, everyone who showed up to tryouts made the team. We play other schools like Salem, Phoenix, and Ketchikan. A little advice, never play the Aurora Dragons, they try to set fire to your broom on 'accident.' By the way, their team got their name after the cause of a very famous fire in Chicago. Our team's name is the Excalibur. You should have heard of our island and the teams namesake in History.  
  
Our teacher, Dr. Broomfleet, says he went to Hogwarts. Ask your teachers if they know about him. Try to get me some funny stories please.  
  
Well that is it. I can't think of anything else to write.  
  
Sincerely,  
  
Lance Galahad  
  
P.S. What is a hogwart?  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Ginny Weasley walked into the Great Hall and as always looked up at the enchanted ceiling. It was partly cloudy. She plopped down in a seat of the Gryffindor table next to Hermione Granger. She placed the unopened letter on the table and began to eat her lunch. Hermione took her nose out of the book she was reading and looked at the envelope.  
  
"Ginny, what is that? The owl post was this morning. Have you kept that envelope all day?" During this time Harry Potter and Ron, Ginny's older brother, sat down and also took notice of the letter.  
  
"No. Professor McGonagall handed these out at the end of Transfiguration. They're letters from students in a school in the US. We're supposed to write back and hand in our replies by Friday."  
  
"This could be fascinating. You could discuss the differences in their way of governments or lessons."  
  
"Or tell them that their Quidditch teams stink," Ron interjected.  
  
"Really Ron, this is supposed to be a chance to make international wizard relations." Ginny didn't listen to the rest of the conversation. Instead she opened her envelope and read.  
  
Her first thought was disappointment that she had to write to a guy. She smiled at a few parts, agreed at others, especially the part about Quodpot. At least this boy, Lance, was honest.  
  
The argument was still going on when she finished. She decided not to wait for the end.  
  
"Hermione, where is this place? I thought this was from the US, but he is writing from a country called Virginia and lives in a country called Maryland." She handed Hermione the letter.  
  
"Well Maryland and Virginia aren't countries, their states." She stopped at the three confused looks. "Sort of like provinces." Nods of understanding. "They're on the east coast of the United States. Washington is their nation's capital, DC stands for District of Columbia, the area where Washington is. I don't know where Gaithersburg is, but it must be close to Washington. See Ron, his mother works for the Ministry. Avalon is a magically protected island. You must ask him about the crypt they have there. I assume you know what Quodpot is." More nodding from the three. Ron took the letter and read. "Aurora is a city near Chicago, another city, that has a large wizard population and Chicago had a huge fire in 1871."  
  
Ron took that to be the end of her speech. "He can't be all bad, he plays Quidditch. Hermione, why do you know so much? You read too many books." An argument ensued that Ginny didn't even pretend to listen to.  
  
Dear Lance Galahad,  
  
Thanks for the letter. I know you didn't have a choice, but thanks anyway, you caused two arguments at lunch. I don't know how to start these things either so I guess I should do the formula too.  
  
My name is Virginia Weasley. Everyone calls me Ginny. I am 12 years old and at my second year at Hogwarts. A hogwart isn't anything, it is just the name of our school. I live in Ottery St. Catchpole in England. Both my parents are wizards too. My Dad works for the Ministry of Magic at the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office. My Mom stays home. I am the youngest of seven and the only girl. My two oldest brothers work in other parts of Europe. Bill for Gringotts in Egypt and Charlie works with dragons in Romania. Percy, the next oldest is in his last year here and is Head Boy. Fred and George are twins a few years ahead and are the biggest troublemakers in the school. They are also the Beaters for Gryffindor. Ron is one year older than me and is siting here with me at lunch talking to his best friends Harry Potter, the Seeker for the Gryffindor team, and Hermione Granger, the smartest person in school. She knew where almost all the places you mentioned were. Hogwarts is near Hogsmeade. I'm not exactly sure where that is.  
  
Yes, Quidditch is big here. Quodpot is not. I barely know the rules. At our school the house teams play each other. My house is Gryffindor. Our symbol is the lion. Hufflepuff is the badger, Ravenclaw is the eagle, and Slytherin, who we all hate, is the snake. We almost won the Quidditch Cup the last year thanks to Harry. We only lost it because Harry was in the hospital wing after rescuing me and defeating the Basilisk. We did win the House cup thanks to Harry and even Ron.  
  
I've never heard of a Dr. Broomfleet, but I'll ask around. Hermione says to ask about some crypt you have there. Ron says to say that your Quidditch teams stink.  
  
Sincerely,  
  
Ginny Weasley 


End file.
